The Great Terrantez Tasting -- time/place TBD

[Peter Reutter]

Managed to get a bottle each of the 1802 Acciaioly Terrantez and the 1795 Barbieto Terrantez. Also got an Avery's 1846 Borges Terrantez.
I've noticed a lot of old Madeira going to auction this past year. Poor economy bringing out the goods?
Marco, maybe we should get together a Terrantez tasting!

Eric, if this ever gets a serious chance to really happen... please let me know.
I would be happy to help out with some very old T-wines as well. (1795 CVM T, 1880 Oliveira T, 1899 Leacock T, or others).
A pure Terrantez tasting of, let's say, a dozen old Madeiras, that would be a once-in-a-lifetime-event for anyone interested in Madeira wines - wow.

Peter



Moderator Note: this thread was split from the original topic HERE

[Marco D.]

Managed to get a bottle each of the 1802 Acciaioly Terrantez and the 1795 Barbieto Terrantez. Also got an Avery's 1846 Borges Terrantez.
I've noticed a lot of old Madeira going to auction this past year. Poor economy bringing out the goods?
Marco, maybe we should get together a Terrantez tasting!

Eric, if this ever gets a serious chance to really happen... please let me know.
I would be happy to help out with some very old T-wines as well. (1795 CVM T, 1880 Oliveira T, 1899 Leacock T, or others).
A pure Terrantez tasting of, let's say, a dozen old Madeiras, that would be a once-in-a-lifetime-event for anyone interested in Madeira wines - wow.

Peter

Well, if this ever happens, I would suggest perhaps doing this in the NYC area (perhaps selfishly so, since I'm a 90 min train ride away from NYC ). But seriously, it is halfway between Europe and the West coast of the US. In fact, I wouldn't mind hosting this at my place in CT. Mannie from RWC lives about 30 minutes away from me, it would be great if he could attend as well.

This could be a historic tasting of vanishing treasures...

[Peter Reutter]

... it is halfway between Europe and the West coast of the US...

Marco, that sounds fair to me and the flights are a lot cheaper to NYC. Just to think of an event like this makes me want to open a bottle of Madeira

Peter

[Steve Pollack]

Managed to get a bottle each of the 1802 Acciaioly Terrantez and the 1795 Barbieto Terrantez. Also got an Avery's 1846 Borges Terrantez.
I've noticed a lot of old Madeira going to auction this past year. Poor economy bringing out the goods?
Marco, maybe we should get together a Terrantez tasting!

Eric, if this ever gets a serious chance to really happen... please let me know.
I would be happy to help out with some very old T-wines as well. (1795 CVM T, 1880 Oliveira T, 1899 Leacock T, or others).
A pure Terrantez tasting of, let's say, a dozen old Madeiras, that would be a once-in-a-lifetime-event for anyone interested in Madeira wines - wow.

Peter

Well, if this ever happens, I would suggest perhaps doing this in the NYC area (perhaps selfishly so, since I'm a 90 min train ride away from NYC ). But seriously, it is halfway between Europe and the West coast of the US. In fact, I wouldn't mind hosting this at my place in CT. Mannie from RWC lives about 30 minutes away from me, it would be great if he could attend as well.

This could be a historic tasting of vanishing treasures...

Marco, if this does happen, please let me know as well. That would be an awesome tasting indeed! I have at least one vintage Terrantez to bring along, but it is not in the same league as some of those mentioned. I would happily contribute whatever amount is necessary to make things fair for everyone.

[Gary Banker]

Managed to get a bottle each of the 1802 Acciaioly Terrantez and the 1795 Barbieto Terrantez. Also got an Avery's 1846 Borges Terrantez.
I've noticed a lot of old Madeira going to auction this past year. Poor economy bringing out the goods?
Marco, maybe we should get together a Terrantez tasting!

Eric, if this ever gets a serious chance to really happen... please let me know.
I would be happy to help out with some very old T-wines as well. (1795 CVM T, 1880 Oliveira T, 1899 Leacock T, or others).
A pure Terrantez tasting of, let's say, a dozen old Madeiras, that would be a once-in-a-lifetime-event for anyone interested in Madeira wines - wow.

Peter

Well, if this ever happens, I would suggest perhaps doing this in the NYC area (perhaps selfishly so, since I'm a 90 min train ride away from NYC ). But seriously, it is halfway between Europe and the West coast of the US. In fact, I wouldn't mind hosting this at my place in CT. Mannie from RWC lives about 30 minutes away from me, it would be great if he could attend as well.

This could be a historic tasting of vanishing treasures...

Marco,

I would also be interested in participating. I have no 19th century bottles, but have 1950 Barbeito and 1954 Leacock, perhaps for comparison. Or could source something else.

[Roy Hersh]

Marco and all,

Great suggestion. The ONLY time this year I could do it would be in June or July though. Otherwise, Jan. - March 2012 could work too. For now, let's keep this to FTLOP folks only ... we can always branch out from there with others from around the USA that have top notch Terrantez hidden under lock and key.

How about: The Great Terrantez Tasting of 2012 - I would be happy to organize an event in NYC, as I have done a few there in the past and have some SOMM connections for BYO and glassware and restaurants that would come in really handy.

Let's see when Peter Reutter can realistically make it over here and that will go a long way to deciding on the plan. Then again, Peter's brother lives here about 10 mins. away and that is typically where he stays. Seattle is probably as unlikely as CT which is a major schlep, a few hours by train each way from NYC and imo, a hassle for those coming from WA, Vegas and CA with luggage from JFK/Newark/LAG. NYC is a LOT more convenient for a zillion reasons. Then again, if we have the majority of people from the W. Coast, I am happy to do this in CA or WA too. We'll see how it pans out.

[Andy Velebil]

I think this would be a fantastic tasting and I'd love to attend if my schedule allows. I have no super old Terrantez but I have no issues adopting a bottle or trying to source one.

[David Spriggs]

I would certainly be interested in attending. This would be a once in a lifetime tasting!
-Dave-

[Peter Reutter]

Marco and all,
Let's see when Peter Reutter can realistically make it over here and that will go a long way to deciding on the plan. Then again, Peter's brother lives here about 10 mins. away and that is typically where he stays.

Given about 5 to 6 months in advance I could make it to NYC anytime of the year. And if things go really bad, I would fly in saturday afternoon and leave sunday morning to work on monday with the taste of Terrantez still on my lips... hmmm that sounds somewhat poetic.
However 2012 fits my overall planning best, since most parts of 2011 are already filled with other things.
Peter

[Marco D.]

I wouldn't mind doing it in early 2012... more time for planning. I too have a lot on my plate for 2011. It would also allow people time to save up to purchase a bottle, if need be.

But, I defer to majority opinion...

[Roy Hersh]

Peter,

That sounds great. To take less of a chance that weather could ruin our plans, how about Saturday, March 10th 2012 in NYC? That would enable us to plan well in advance!

Does that work for everyone?

[Peter Reutter]

dear Roy,
will check with my Departement of Organisation (wife) and give my answer as fast as possible.

Peter

[Marco D.]

Peter,

That sounds great. To take less of a chance that weather could ruin our plans, how about Saturday, March 10th 2012 in NYC? That would enable us to plan well in advance!

Does that work for everyone?

3-10-2012 + NYC = T

Computes for me!

[Peter Reutter]

March 10th 2012 seems to be ok for me
One very important thing to mention though: all the bottles would have to be decanted WELL in advance. In my case, I would decant the wine a week before the tasting, recork the bottle with some serious new corkthe day before I leave, reseal it and bring it over to NYC and then pull the cork as soon as possible. If the tasting was to be in Seattle I would ask my brother to take the bottle with him and give it to you Roy, so you could decant it ealy enough. I just mention this to remind everyone of this important issue.
Peter

[Marco D.]

March 10th 2012 seems to be ok for me
One very important thing to mention though: all the bottles would have to be decanted WELL in advance. In my case, I would decant the wine a week before the tasting, recork the bottle with some serious new corkthe day before I leave, reseal it and bring it over to NYC and then pull the cork as soon as possible. If the tasting was to be in Seattle I would ask my brother to take the bottle with him and give it to you Roy, so you could decant it ealy enough. I just mention this to remind everyone of this important issue.
Peter

Decanting is a very good point.

Another is agitation. I have been to tastings where Madeiras were decanted well in advanced, but immediately served after being shook up in transit (bus, plane, train to table). These sometimes don't show their best. Another (perhaps anecdotal) example is the Leacock Family Madeira tastings that the Rare Wine Company put on in 2009 (one in NYC and two in SF). I went to both and the wines seemed to show better in NYC. I wrote about this:

The decanting regimen was slightly different at this tasting. There was a shortage of decanters for the San Francisco event -- due to the consecutive back-to-back tastings that had to be accommodated. There was no such restriction here; every wine rested peacefully in a decanter for a full week, as opposed to the SF treatment of alternating one day in decanter and one day in bottle for a week. There was less agitation of the wine; Mannie Berk mentioned that many "old-time" connoisseurs disliked disturbing Madeira as they found it "bruised" the wine.

in this thread:
http://www.fortheloveofport.com/ftlopfo ... f=2&t=8109

If need be (and if people trust me), all the wines could be shipped to me well in advanced to have them rest, and then peacefully decanted for a week before the tasting. Just a thought...

[Roy Hersh]

To be fair, from what Mannie said in SF ... with back to back events, the wines showed differently on each night there ... specifically due to the length of decanting which was different. So whereas some bottles showed better in in NY, Mannie felt that some showed better in SF and at one event and not the other.

That said, Marco is spot on that the less the bottles are jostled the better. We'll worry about things like decant times as we get nearer the event, but I love how serious people take these precious bottles. The scarcity of which is rather surreal.

[Gary Banker]

10 March 2012 works for me. Count me in.

I found only eight vintages in Wine Searcher, 3 of them from before 1900. It could be a challenge to find nonredundant wines.

[Steve Pollack]

10 March 2012 works for me. Count me in.

I found only eight vintages in Wine Searcher, 3 of them from before 1900. It could be a challenge to find nonredundant wines.

Gary, that is a good point. But I already have a 1905 Terrantez that is not available on wine-searcher. And I'm sure that there are other people that are in a similar position. So I bet we can put together a great tasting without much, if any, duplication.

Count me in as well.

[Reidar Andersen]

I will do my best also to be there. Am in NYC at least twice a year, so like this it is easy to plan.

Steve, which 1905 T do you refer to ? Found one myself some years ago in Funchal under a stair in a souvenir shop.
It was A. Barros...

[Gary Banker]

10 March 2012 works for me. Count me in.

I found only eight vintages in Wine Searcher, 3 of them from before 1900. It could be a challenge to find nonredundant wines.

Gary, that is a good point. But I already have a 1905 Terrantez that is not available on wine-searcher. And I'm sure that there are other people that are in a similar position. So I bet we can put together a great tasting without much, if any, duplication.

Count me in as well.

Steve,

I'm sure that there are enough out there to have a great tasting. I'm concerned about being able to find one to contribute. Oh well, a good challenge.